No. 1 Hawkeyes looking for third straight title at Big Ten Championships
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Iowa coach Tom Brands and his Hawkeye team is shooting for their third straight Big Ten title. Photo by Darren Miller, University of Iowa.
It has looked like a cakewalk for the Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team at times this season.
The Hawkeyes have won all of their dual meets and all of their tournaments, but this season also has seen its fair share of adversity.
Iowa has battled injury and eligibility issues, but through it all the Hawkeyes are an overwhelming favorite to capture the Big Ten Championships this weekend. The Hawkeyes have won the last two league titles and have won 33 titles overall.
The Big Tens are set for Saturday and Sunday at the University of Michigan's Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.
"It's that time of year where it's business time," Iowa coach Tom Brands said. "This team is ready to roll. It's time to go."
The Big Ten has secured at least 56 qualifiers for the NCAA Championships, set for March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb. An additional 46 overall at-large qualifiers, among all Division I teams, will be named March 10.
Iowa senior Brent Metcalf is shooting for his third straight Big Ten title at 149 pounds. He was named the event's Outstanding Wrestler the past two seasons.
Metcalf is 29-0 this season and 101-2 in his college career.
"Metcalf is a thoroughbred of the thoroughbreds," Brands said. "He's a unique competitor."
Iowa senior heavyweight Dan Erekson won the league title in 2009.
Metcalf drew the No. 1 pre-seed for this year's tournament. Senior teammates Jay Borschel (174) and Chad Beatty (197) also are listed first in the pre-seeds.
Iowa compiled an impressive 70-10 match record during its eight Big Ten duals.
"We seem to have our best lineup going into this," Brands said. "You're going into battle, and there are 10 weight classes to contest, and everybody sitting in our wrestling room should believe they are the champion at their weight class."
Iowa's lineup is loaded with talented and proven seniors.
"We have had great leadership on this team," Brands said. "It's a great group of seniors. They've paved the way for a lot of these young guys."
Indiana's Angel Escobedo (125), Michigan State's Franklin Gomez (133) and Minnesota's Dustin Schlatter (157) also are seeking their third Big Ten titles. Wisconsin's Andrew Howe is looking to repeat at 165.
Iowa is looking for its third straight NCAA title this season and 23rd overall.
"We get everybody's best shot," Brands said. "And that's fine with me."
Fourth-ranked Ohio State, second to Iowa at the last two NCAA tournaments, looks to be Iowa's top challenger this weekend. Minnesota is ranked fifth nationally.
"Iowa is looking very strong, and it will be a tough task for anyone to beat them this year," Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said. "They've got to stumble and other teams have to step up."
Ohio State is led by NCAA champion and two-time national finalist Mike Pucillo at 184. Pucillo is the No. 4 pre-seed after struggling with injuries this season.
"Mike's not 100 percent physically, but I would never count him out," Ryan said. "He just seems to find a way to win when he needs to."
Ohio State finished sixth in the Big Ten last year before taking second at nationals.
The Buckeyes also have top wrestlers in NCAA runner-up Reece Humphrey at 141 and All-American Lance Palmer at 149.
"We have the most well-balanced team we've had," Ryan said. "For us to win Big Tens, we have to win those key matchups in the semifinals and we need more points in each weight class. We have been wrestling fairly well. We'll be ready."
125 pounds
Escobedo has won this tournament the past two years. He was an NCAA champion in 2008 and is a three-time All-American for the Hoosiers.
But Escobedo will be pushed for the title by Iowa freshman phenom Matt McDonough, who is unbeaten this year. McDonough is 29-0, but did not face Escobedo during the season.
McDonough has posted two wins over Minnesota's Zach Sanders, a returning All-American.
McDonough's hard-charging, pressuring style has been tough for opponents to keep pace with this season. The key for McDonough may be his ability to break free from the bottom position against Escobedo.
The Escobedo-McDonough match could be one of the best of the entire tournament.
Penn State's Brad Pataky is a veteran who is the No. 4 pre-seed in this class.
133 pounds
Five of the top seven finishers in the 2009 NCAA tournament came out of the Big Ten.
The weight class is very strong again this year.
Gomez won Big Tens and NCAAs last season, but won't be the No. 1 seed in this year's Big Ten meet after falling to Iowa's Daniel Dennis in a dual meet.
Minnesota's Jayson Ness, who beat Dennis in their dual meet in Minneapolis, will be the top seed. Ness placed third in the 2009 NCAAs at 133 after finishing second at 125 in 2008.
Dennis, seventh in the country last year, has looked strong late in the season after being slowed by an ankle injury midway through the year. He downed stud freshman Tyler Graff of Wisconsin 2-1 in a late-season dual.
Look for the three veterans - Ness, Gomez and Dennis - to fight it out for the title. But don't count out Graff, a top young wrestler who is very tough on his feet.
141 pounds
Humphrey is the favorite here.
Humphrey, a top freestyle prospect and World University medalist, placed second in the country at 133 last year. He has looked good in bumping up a class this year. Humphrey was second in the Big Ten in 2009.
Minnesota's Mike Thorn and Iowa's Montell Marion are next in line in this division.
Thorn pinned Marion at National Duals before Marion came back to earn a lopsided win over Thorn when the teams later met in a Big Ten dual.
Marion has come on late in the season as Iowa's starter. He's been plagued by inconsistency in the past, but he can wrestle with anybody when he's on his game.
Penn State's Adam Lynch is the No. 4 pre-seed at 141.
149 pounds
Metcalf has been one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country as he pursues his second Hodge Trophy in three years.
But Palmer has been able to slow Metcalf down and the Buckeye wrestler has stayed within striking distance of him when they've wrestled over the past three years.
Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell placed third in the NCAAs in 2009, but sat out the recent dual with Iowa because of an injury. Ruschell beat Palmer in the third-place match last year at nationals.
Metcalf is the clear favorite here, but he will have a tough battle on his hands if Palmer makes it through to the finals.
Penn State's Frank Molinaro is the No. 4 pre-seed in this class.
157 pounds
Schlatter won an NCAA title way back in 2006 as a true freshman at 149 pounds. Schlatter is looking to cap his career with a second title at 157.
Schlatter, a 2009 U.S. World Team member in freestyle, started this college season at 165. He moved down to 157 when Olympian Jake Deitchler was ruled ineligible for the Gophers this season.
Schlatter had lost one early season bout at 165, but is undefeated since dropping down to 157.
Schlatter may be the most talented wrestler in the conference. He's very strong defensively and also has a strong arsenal offensively. He has a tendency to wrestle low-scoring matches, but he's looked tough in the second half of the year.
Penn State's Cyler Sanderson is the No. 2 seed. The transfer from Iowa State was an All-American two years ago. He has come back strong last year after struggling in the 2008-09 season.
Purdue's Colton Salazar and Indiana's Kurt Kinser are expected to draw the third and fourth seeds. Kinser is a dangerous wrestler with an array of big moves in his arsenal.
165 pounds
This is another loaded weight class. Howe placed second in the country and Morningstar was third in 2009.
Howe beat Morningstar 2-1 in a recent dual, winning the match with a riding-time point.
Morningstar proved his mettle with a superb postseason run last year, coming back with the third-place finish at nationals to help Iowa win the team title.
Ohio State's Colt Sponseller also is in the mix here, along with past All-American Dan Vallimont of Penn State.
174 pounds
Borschel has been as dominant as any wrestler in the country this season. He's come back strong this year after a tough finish to last year.
He placed third at the 2008 NCAAs, but didn't make it onto the podium last year. He hasn't lost a match since.
Borschel is heavily favored in this division at Big Tens.
The battle likely will be for second place here.
Purdue's Luke Manuel is seeded second, followed by Minnesota's Scott Glasser, Ohio State's Dave Rella and Illinois' Jordan Blanton.
Blanton took fourth at 184 in the 2009 Big Tens.
184 pounds
Pucillo won the NCAA title in 2008 and placed second last year, but he's only the No. 4 pre-seed for the Big Tens.
Illinois wrestler John Dergo is No. 1 here, followed by Penn State's David Erwin and Iowa's Phil Keddy.
Keddy, a two-time All-American, beat Pucillo when the teams dualed in Iowa City. Keddy has been slowed by a neck injury, but has wrestled well late in the year.
This is the time of year when Pucillo wrestles his best, so don't be surprised to see him perform well this weekend.
Keddy placed second and Pucillo third in last year's Big Ten tournament. Dergo placed fourth at 174.
197 pounds
This is one of the weaker weight classes in the Big Ten.
Iowa's Chad Beatty is the No. 1 seed despite missing much of the season with an injury. Beatty placed fourth in Big Tens last year.
Wisconsin's Trevor Brandvold is No. 2 here, followed by Michigan's Anthony Biondo and Illinois' Patrick Bond.
Bond beat Beatty in the third-place match at the 2009 Big Tens.
Heavyweight
Indiana's Nate Everhart is expected to be the top seed at heavyweight with Erekson No. 2.
Erekson placed fourth in the nation last year and has looked strong after returning to the lineup after Christmas.
Erekson, a past 197-pounder, moves very well for a heavyweight. He is a legitimate national title threat in a weight class where a number of wrestlers are very even.
Penn State's Cameron Wade is the No. 3 pre-seed here, just ahead of Minnesota's Ben Berhow.
Berhow placed fourth and Everhart fifth in the 2009 Big Ten meet.
It has looked like a cakewalk for the Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team at times this season.
The Hawkeyes have won all of their dual meets and all of their tournaments, but this season also has seen its fair share of adversity.
Iowa has battled injury and eligibility issues, but through it all the Hawkeyes are an overwhelming favorite to capture the Big Ten Championships this weekend. The Hawkeyes have won the last two league titles and have won 33 titles overall.
The Big Tens are set for Saturday and Sunday at the University of Michigan's Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.
"It's that time of year where it's business time," Iowa coach Tom Brands said. "This team is ready to roll. It's time to go."
The Big Ten has secured at least 56 qualifiers for the NCAA Championships, set for March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb. An additional 46 overall at-large qualifiers, among all Division I teams, will be named March 10.
Iowa senior Brent Metcalf is shooting for his third straight Big Ten title at 149 pounds. He was named the event's Outstanding Wrestler the past two seasons.
Metcalf is 29-0 this season and 101-2 in his college career.
"Metcalf is a thoroughbred of the thoroughbreds," Brands said. "He's a unique competitor."
Iowa senior heavyweight Dan Erekson won the league title in 2009.
Metcalf drew the No. 1 pre-seed for this year's tournament. Senior teammates Jay Borschel (174) and Chad Beatty (197) also are listed first in the pre-seeds.
Iowa compiled an impressive 70-10 match record during its eight Big Ten duals.
"We seem to have our best lineup going into this," Brands said. "You're going into battle, and there are 10 weight classes to contest, and everybody sitting in our wrestling room should believe they are the champion at their weight class."
Iowa's lineup is loaded with talented and proven seniors.
"We have had great leadership on this team," Brands said. "It's a great group of seniors. They've paved the way for a lot of these young guys."
Indiana's Angel Escobedo (125), Michigan State's Franklin Gomez (133) and Minnesota's Dustin Schlatter (157) also are seeking their third Big Ten titles. Wisconsin's Andrew Howe is looking to repeat at 165.
Iowa is looking for its third straight NCAA title this season and 23rd overall.
"We get everybody's best shot," Brands said. "And that's fine with me."
Fourth-ranked Ohio State, second to Iowa at the last two NCAA tournaments, looks to be Iowa's top challenger this weekend. Minnesota is ranked fifth nationally.
"Iowa is looking very strong, and it will be a tough task for anyone to beat them this year," Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said. "They've got to stumble and other teams have to step up."
Ohio State is led by NCAA champion and two-time national finalist Mike Pucillo at 184. Pucillo is the No. 4 pre-seed after struggling with injuries this season.
"Mike's not 100 percent physically, but I would never count him out," Ryan said. "He just seems to find a way to win when he needs to."
Ohio State finished sixth in the Big Ten last year before taking second at nationals.
The Buckeyes also have top wrestlers in NCAA runner-up Reece Humphrey at 141 and All-American Lance Palmer at 149.
"We have the most well-balanced team we've had," Ryan said. "For us to win Big Tens, we have to win those key matchups in the semifinals and we need more points in each weight class. We have been wrestling fairly well. We'll be ready."
125 pounds
Escobedo has won this tournament the past two years. He was an NCAA champion in 2008 and is a three-time All-American for the Hoosiers.
But Escobedo will be pushed for the title by Iowa freshman phenom Matt McDonough, who is unbeaten this year. McDonough is 29-0, but did not face Escobedo during the season.
McDonough has posted two wins over Minnesota's Zach Sanders, a returning All-American.
McDonough's hard-charging, pressuring style has been tough for opponents to keep pace with this season. The key for McDonough may be his ability to break free from the bottom position against Escobedo.
The Escobedo-McDonough match could be one of the best of the entire tournament.
Penn State's Brad Pataky is a veteran who is the No. 4 pre-seed in this class.
133 pounds
Five of the top seven finishers in the 2009 NCAA tournament came out of the Big Ten.
The weight class is very strong again this year.
Gomez won Big Tens and NCAAs last season, but won't be the No. 1 seed in this year's Big Ten meet after falling to Iowa's Daniel Dennis in a dual meet.
Minnesota's Jayson Ness, who beat Dennis in their dual meet in Minneapolis, will be the top seed. Ness placed third in the 2009 NCAAs at 133 after finishing second at 125 in 2008.
Dennis, seventh in the country last year, has looked strong late in the season after being slowed by an ankle injury midway through the year. He downed stud freshman Tyler Graff of Wisconsin 2-1 in a late-season dual.
Look for the three veterans - Ness, Gomez and Dennis - to fight it out for the title. But don't count out Graff, a top young wrestler who is very tough on his feet.
141 pounds
Humphrey is the favorite here.
Humphrey, a top freestyle prospect and World University medalist, placed second in the country at 133 last year. He has looked good in bumping up a class this year. Humphrey was second in the Big Ten in 2009.
Minnesota's Mike Thorn and Iowa's Montell Marion are next in line in this division.
Thorn pinned Marion at National Duals before Marion came back to earn a lopsided win over Thorn when the teams later met in a Big Ten dual.
Marion has come on late in the season as Iowa's starter. He's been plagued by inconsistency in the past, but he can wrestle with anybody when he's on his game.
Penn State's Adam Lynch is the No. 4 pre-seed at 141.
149 pounds
Metcalf has been one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country as he pursues his second Hodge Trophy in three years.
But Palmer has been able to slow Metcalf down and the Buckeye wrestler has stayed within striking distance of him when they've wrestled over the past three years.
Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell placed third in the NCAAs in 2009, but sat out the recent dual with Iowa because of an injury. Ruschell beat Palmer in the third-place match last year at nationals.
Metcalf is the clear favorite here, but he will have a tough battle on his hands if Palmer makes it through to the finals.
Penn State's Frank Molinaro is the No. 4 pre-seed in this class.
157 pounds
Schlatter won an NCAA title way back in 2006 as a true freshman at 149 pounds. Schlatter is looking to cap his career with a second title at 157.
Schlatter, a 2009 U.S. World Team member in freestyle, started this college season at 165. He moved down to 157 when Olympian Jake Deitchler was ruled ineligible for the Gophers this season.
Schlatter had lost one early season bout at 165, but is undefeated since dropping down to 157.
Schlatter may be the most talented wrestler in the conference. He's very strong defensively and also has a strong arsenal offensively. He has a tendency to wrestle low-scoring matches, but he's looked tough in the second half of the year.
Penn State's Cyler Sanderson is the No. 2 seed. The transfer from Iowa State was an All-American two years ago. He has come back strong last year after struggling in the 2008-09 season.
Purdue's Colton Salazar and Indiana's Kurt Kinser are expected to draw the third and fourth seeds. Kinser is a dangerous wrestler with an array of big moves in his arsenal.
165 pounds
This is another loaded weight class. Howe placed second in the country and Morningstar was third in 2009.
Howe beat Morningstar 2-1 in a recent dual, winning the match with a riding-time point.
Morningstar proved his mettle with a superb postseason run last year, coming back with the third-place finish at nationals to help Iowa win the team title.
Ohio State's Colt Sponseller also is in the mix here, along with past All-American Dan Vallimont of Penn State.
174 pounds
Borschel has been as dominant as any wrestler in the country this season. He's come back strong this year after a tough finish to last year.
He placed third at the 2008 NCAAs, but didn't make it onto the podium last year. He hasn't lost a match since.
Borschel is heavily favored in this division at Big Tens.
The battle likely will be for second place here.
Purdue's Luke Manuel is seeded second, followed by Minnesota's Scott Glasser, Ohio State's Dave Rella and Illinois' Jordan Blanton.
Blanton took fourth at 184 in the 2009 Big Tens.
184 pounds
Pucillo won the NCAA title in 2008 and placed second last year, but he's only the No. 4 pre-seed for the Big Tens.
Illinois wrestler John Dergo is No. 1 here, followed by Penn State's David Erwin and Iowa's Phil Keddy.
Keddy, a two-time All-American, beat Pucillo when the teams dualed in Iowa City. Keddy has been slowed by a neck injury, but has wrestled well late in the year.
This is the time of year when Pucillo wrestles his best, so don't be surprised to see him perform well this weekend.
Keddy placed second and Pucillo third in last year's Big Ten tournament. Dergo placed fourth at 174.
197 pounds
This is one of the weaker weight classes in the Big Ten.
Iowa's Chad Beatty is the No. 1 seed despite missing much of the season with an injury. Beatty placed fourth in Big Tens last year.
Wisconsin's Trevor Brandvold is No. 2 here, followed by Michigan's Anthony Biondo and Illinois' Patrick Bond.
Bond beat Beatty in the third-place match at the 2009 Big Tens.
Heavyweight
Indiana's Nate Everhart is expected to be the top seed at heavyweight with Erekson No. 2.
Erekson placed fourth in the nation last year and has looked strong after returning to the lineup after Christmas.
Erekson, a past 197-pounder, moves very well for a heavyweight. He is a legitimate national title threat in a weight class where a number of wrestlers are very even.
Penn State's Cameron Wade is the No. 3 pre-seed here, just ahead of Minnesota's Ben Berhow.
Berhow placed fourth and Everhart fifth in the 2009 Big Ten meet.
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